Troubled Soul
by Joyful Pixie
Summary: There was something troubling him, something that made him feel unsatisfied and it started since the death of his late wife and queen, Leona. Seeing Claudus in a state of confusion and turmoil, Jaga brings in someone he thinks can help. Claudus/Leona, Slow-burn Claudus/OC-centered romance. Mentions character death. Reposted from my old account. Chapters 5 & onwards will be new.
1. Chapter 1: Unsatisfying

**Author: **Oh boy, I'm dreading what a lot of you will say or will think. Many of you are probably thinking, "Wait, this was posted on here before." or that I stole this from the original author, but I assure you that no, I didn't steal this. As a matter of fact, I am the original author. I'm not gonna say what my username was due to personal reasons but to make a long story short, I couldn't figure out what to do with all of my stories and I also fell off the writing train, again. As a matter of fact, looking over some of my works, I suddenly felt dissatisfied with them and I felt overwhelmed, but I'm back and this time, I'm just gonna focus one or two stories at a time. One for the remake universe and one for the original/classic Thundercats. And I apologize for practically shutting down my account and taking my stories down. I do have them all archived on my google docs account. So yeah, enjoy it!

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**Chapter 1**

_Unsatisfying_

There was always something unsatisfying in his soul, something prickling in his heart. It always hurts whenever the memories of his beloved Queen, his soul mate, his wife, his lover, and best friend, surfaced. Sometimes the pain and memories were easy to ignore, but there was always a trigger - a reminder of what he lost, whether it was seeing old pictures of his beloved, or smelling faint traces of her favorite Astrid Day Flower perfume, or absentmindedly reaching for her in his sleep, only to wake up and find the empty space next to him. He always felt the sadness of losing her.

"They need a mother, Jaga," Claudus said, pacing restlessly around his study. The King had abandoned wearing his large, red cape and usual wear in favor of wearing a simple light blue tunic with short sleeves and dark blue trousers.

It was early evening and Claudus was in another one of his moods. The only one to soothe him was his close friend, Jaga. Despite there being a twenty-year gap between the two, Claudus found Jaga to be a highly valued confidante.

Jaga sat there, chuckling inwardly at seeing his friend like this. Claudius reminded him of a caged tiger - or in Claudus's case, a caged lion - pacing restlessly in its cage. It amused him, to say the least. The Cleric stroked his beard.

"Are there any Cats you have in mind?" The old Jaguar asked, watching Claudus now shuffling papers around on his desk.

The King stopped what he was doing, slipping into a mindless trance momentarily, shifting through the names of female Cats he once knew. He shook his head a minute later. "No, I can only think of Leona's old friends, but they're all married."

"What about Amelia?" Jaga asked a second later after searching his own mind. He saw his Lord stop again. The Lion's body became tense. Jaga decided to continue, but only to test the waters of the idea onto his friend. "You two seem to get along swimmingly."

Claudius found himself almost trembling. His heart pounded in his chest at the mere mention of his sons' nursemaid. Amelia had been hired during the last trimester of Leona's pregnancy and as a potential wet nurse should anything happen to his beloved Queen and by Thundera something did happen. It was as though Leona knew she was going to leave him.

The King glanced back at Jaga, an uncomfortable silence taking place. "There are laws about Royalty and Nobles marrying each other only..."

Jaga chuckled again. "If I remember correctly, Leona wasn't a Noble."

Again his heart jumped.

Of course, Leona had been the daughter of a merchant, or a farmer, and...

Claudius shook his head. "I was young... foolish..." He said to himself more to himself than to Jaga, "Besides, she..." The King's words were cut off as there was a knock at the door.

As if he knew who it was, Jaga rose from his seat to answer the door. A young snow leopard woman stood there in the doorway. Her long white mane speckled with a few spots was tied in a loose braid that hung about the crook of her neck. Her entire body was covered in light grey fur with dark spots dotting her back and the back of her arms and legs. She wore a silver gown that seemed to accentuate her body quite well.

Claudius had to look away as the female Cat spoke.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" The nursemaid asked, her eyes darting from Jaga to Claudius and back again

Jaga chuckled for the third time and smiled. "Of course not, Amelia, come in, come in. Lord Claudus and I were just finishing up here." The Cleric stepped to the side to allow Amelia to enter. He then looked back at his king and smiled once more, "I believe you can resolve the matter with Amelia's help, my Lord."

"Jaga? Jaga, wait!" But the old Cat was already gone, leaving the flustered King alone with the nursemaid. He sighed, running a hand through his red mane before gesturing for Amelia to sit.

"I'm sorry, Claudus, I didn't mean to interrupt your meeting with Sir Jaga," Amelia replied, feeling a bit flustered herself. She didn't want to bother her King, but she had no other choice. Her charges - that is to say - the youngest one drove her to seek out the King's counsel.

Claudius just shook his head, forcing himself to smile. "Nonsense, Amelia, Jaga has the tendency to be crafty, but that is how Clerics are... sometimes." He said the last part a bit weakly, but immediately dismissed the thought and focused his attention on his sons' caretaker.

Amelia seemed a bit bothered, tense, as she clenched her clawed hands against the front of her dress while remaining standing. "I didn't want to come here, but I had no other choice, your majesty." She said softly.

Claudius took a mental note of the female's strained voice. He kept up a polite, indifferent mask, without coming off as too detached. At least he hoped he was showing enough concern without coming off as being weak.

What am I thinking? The King thought, but he nodded at Amelia's words.

"And what has Tygra done now?" He asked. Knowing his adopted son, young Tygra might have pinched baby Lion-O's cheek during nap time or maybe he said something mean to Amelia.

Goddess help me if my tiger said something mean to her again.

Amelia bit her lip, the tip of her left canine showing. He found it quite endearing how pretty she looked when she was nervous. Claudius frowned at the thought. What was he thinking?

"It's not Tygra this time, my lord. It's baby Lion-O," Amelia said quietly, "he's becoming hard to handle now."

Claudius finally met her eyes, his body going rigid. "Lion-O you say?" Sweet baby Lion-O, who is only a year old, did something to drive his nursemaid to tears? What did he do?

"Yes, sir." Amelia stammered. She knew that if anyone spoke ill of the Royals, there would be consequences, but Amelia wasn't just a random Cat. She is the caretaker of the Princes and if something bad happened with or to her charges, she had to report it to the King himself.

Claudius gave a resigned sigh, massaging his temples. "Are the boys in their nursery?"

"Yes, sir, your Majesty."

"Take me to them," Claudus replied and Amelia rose from her chair, as did he, the two of them walking out of the King's study.

Jaga appeared out of the shadows, a smile on his face. "I'm sorry to have tricked you, old friend. But it is the Queen's will that you find love again."


	2. Chapter 2: Tantrums

**Hina: **Obviously, I don't own ThunderCats or anything related to ThunderCats. I only own the idea behind this story and any OCs not canon to Thundercats in the first place (unless otherwise stated).

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**Chapter 2**

_Tantrums_

He placed his hands over his ears, hoping to block out the loud wails and cries of his little brother. Young Tygra didn't know why the toddling cub was crying. Being only five himself, he tried to stay far away from his little brother, after all, he always got into trouble for some unknown reasons whenever he played with Lion-O. Lion-O just continued to cry, his face seeming to turn red from crying so much.

Tygra just grumbled to himself, glaring after the young female servant who had been tasked with taking care of the young princes until their usual Nursemaid, Amelia returns. As he looked up at the servant, he saw a distressed look on the female cat's face. As much as it pained the tiger to admit it, only Amelia could keep calm under pressure – especially when dealing with him and his brother. That's what he admired about his nanny. No matter how much Lion-O cries or how many times Tygra acts out, Amelia always seems to have an infinite amount of patience and a lot of heart it seems. But lately, she's been seeking out the king and despite the five-year-old trying his best to keep away, he found himself being curious about his father's involvement in dealing with Lion-O's odd behavior.

Tygra looked up once more, his hands finally leaving his ears as he heard his father and Amelia coming into the nursery. His heart leaped and happiness filled him with energy. The tiger toddler quickly ran across the threshold, somehow dodging the little building blocks, stuffed toys, and various other things littering the room, and straight to where his bed and Lion-O's crib were kept. But he stopped short of the sleeping quarters as the stand-in nurse quickly ran up to the King and Amelia, quickly excusing herself after handing baby Lion-O to his father.

Claudus's eyes narrowed, his face becoming strained as he studied his youngest son, looking for any signs of injury or sickness. Lion-O's wails were mere whimpers now as the smaller lion felt the safety and warmth of his father's arms enveloping him. His turquoise eyes stared up at his father's, tears filling them again.

"Lion-O, what is wrong with you now?" Claudus asked his infant son softly. The baby just whimpered softly in response. Noticing a small hand touching his shoulder, the King turned his head and found Tygra smiling at him, his amber eyes full of curiosity.

"Papa?" Tygra started softly. His smile faltered slightly at seeing the unnerving look on his father's face. He glanced at Lion-O before going back to his father. "Is Lion-O awwright?" He asked, feeling some sort of sympathy and concern for the little lion. Tygra felt a wave of relief filling him as Claudus simply chuckled and returned his smile.

Claudus placed a hand onto his head, tousling some of his son's white, orange, and black mane. "Don't you worry, Prince Tygra. Your brother will be just fine. I think he just has a fever." He tried his best to hide the worry in his voice before focusing his gaze back to Amelia. "Amelia."

"Yes, you're majesty?" The snow leopardess stood at attention, her arms full of Tygra and Lion-O's toys. She had busied herself with cleaning up the room while Claudus checked on his sons.

Claudius felt his heart give a little jolt at how the rays of the setting sun hit her eyes just right, making the red pupils seem more golden brown than red. Even her long mane held a golden tinge to it. The king quickly put the thought out of his mind as Amelia tilted her head in that ever-curious manner.

"Lord Claudus?" The servant began, curiously. She felt a little puzzled at her ruler's actions as of late, even more so at Jaga's actions. Everyone seems to have gone mad lately.

Claudus just cleared his throat and handed a now quiet Lion-O to the hired nursemaid. "I think we should bring in a healer, or a doctor… just to make sure nothing is wrong with prince Lion-O." Why did he feel so confused and nervous all of a sudden? The king kept his composure as he felt Amelia's small but delicate hands brush against his while taking the baby from him.

Amelia's face flushed a little at the contact but she nodded as well. "O-of course, your majesty. I will tell one of the soldiers to fetch a medic at once." The leopard stammered, but Claudus held up a hand, dismissing her suggestion.

"I can do it, besides, I know the perfect Cat." The King said. He frowned at hearing a small giggle and for an instant, anger rose inside of him. When he looked back at Amelia, he saw she was laughing behind her hand while cradling little Lion-O with one arm. But all anger seemed to leave him in an instant at hearing her laugh and the king immediately excused himself, leaving Amelia alone with his sons once more.

Tygra just wrinkled his nose as he watched the scene unfold before him. His father, the mighty Claudus was acting really strange. His father has never acted so nervous around Amelia before and Amelia has always dealt with Lion-O's little crying spells herself. The five-year-old blinked, but froze when he noticed Amelia staring at him. He saw her blush a bit and she excused herself to Lion-O's crib, putting the now sleepy cub down for a nap.

Adults are weird. The tiger prince thought before hearing Amelia calling for him. He quickly bounded after his nursemaid, knowing what was coming next.


	3. Chapter 3: Cleansing the Soul

**Chapter 3: Cleansing the Soul**

He shuddered at feeling the torrent of water flow down on top of him as she tilted the pitcher over his head. The white suds were immediately washed away but it still didn't stop the young tiger from shivering. "A-am-melia, this w-water is c-cold!" Tygra complained, hugging himself as his caretaker started scrubbing his neck fur now.

Amelia just frowned, pressing the washcloth a little more firmly against her charge. "Well, that's what you get for delaying your bath and for playing in the mud, Prince Tygra." She scolded him gently.

Tygra poked his lips out into a pout with a sour look on his face, his eyes narrowed a bit. He looked over at hearing the giggles of his little brother. Young Lion-O was in his crib, giggling as he peeked at Tygra through the bars. Tygra could see one turquoise eye then another peeking out as Lion-O moved his head. It was like some big game to the year-old toddler. But to Tygra, it was annoying. The prince grumbled something under his breath while enduring Amelia's furious scrubbing.

It wasn't until Amelia had poured more of the lukewarm water on him that the leopard became more gentle in washing him. "Why do we have to take baths anyway?" Tygra asked, trying his best not to pull away or squirm as Amelia's hands brushed over his sides. He felt her stop for a second as though to gather her thoughts. But the soft washing continued a few seconds later.

"Because your fur would get dirty and matted, and you would look like a street dog." Amelia chided him. He heard amusement in her voice as she spoke.

"Then what about Mother? Doesn't she need a bath?" his question stumped the she-cat and Tygra looked up at her. "Amelia?" The prince started. He saw a glimmer of sadness in the servant's red eyes.

Amelia placed the washcloth on the side of the tub before ruffling Tygra's mane. "Prince Tygra," She said in a soft tone that almost reminded him of his mother. "We can't wash the bodies of the deceased once they're buried." That earned a curious look from the prince and for a moment; she thought he was going to cry as he did when the late Queen Leona first died. But he didn't. Amelia gauged the prince's reaction as his expression changed to curiosity to neutral. It was obvious that the cub was trying to emulate his father by keeping a hardened expression on his face when the topic of Leona came up. Only Lord Claudus was known to do just that.

"Then why did we have to give her a bath in the first place if she was going to be buried?" Tygra asked sharply. His tone made his nanny flinch. He heard her sigh. He couldn't help glaring at her. Every adult he tried asking about his mother had always dismissed him or ignored his question. Even his father. At least Jaga had enough decency to explain what death was, even if it was still a bit hard to understand.

Amelia sighed again. For such a stubborn child, Tygra had a lot of spirit. She motioned for one of her two helpers, who were more or less younger females being trained to serve other Noble Cats in other parts of Third Earth, to fetch a large towel. One of them did just that as Tygra, knowing what to expect, stood up, only to be wrapped up in the towel as Amelia picked him up out of the tub. "Listen, Tygra, it is a tradition for us, for Cats, to wash the bodies of our deceased before burying them."

"Why?" Tygra asked. She could feel his golden eyes staring at her. Amelia just chuckled a bit, suppressing her own sadness over the Queen's death.

"Because, when you bury someone, you're sending them to the Afterlife, to the Ancient Spirits and washing their body means we're washing their soul." Amelia saw Tygra wrinkling his nose, the impassive guarded expression fading away.

"So… Mama's soul stays clean?" He asked Amelia a few seconds later as she placed him on his bed, drying him off with the towel. Tygra found himself blinded by the towel Amelia had wrapped around him, feeling her hands pressing the towel against his head as if scrubbing more dirt out of his mane.

She didn't answer him until she pulled the towel off his head moments later. Their gazes met and she finally smiled, "Yes, even if we don't wash her body now, Leona's soul will remain cleansed."

Her words seemed to satisfy Tygra for he smiled back at her and the royal cub just hugged her waist, burying his face into her skirt. And for once he didn't want to let go. Amelia's fingers gently stroking his head made him feel a bit drowsy.

Amelia pulled away from the prince a bit and kissed his forehead. "Come now. If we don't hurry up and get you dressed for bed, your father won't be able to read to you." She teased him. She saw excitement creeping into his eyes and her oldest charge immediately hopped off the bed, making the towel drop in his wake, as he ran over to his dresser.

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It wasn't until she got Tygra dressed for bed and his brother washed up that Amelia had found some time for herself. One of her apprentices took to dressing baby Lion-O for bed, letting Amelia get some peace and quiet. She left the nursery, confident that Claudus and her helpers could take care of the remaining bedtime ritual. As she stood outside the boys' room, Amelia looked around the quiet hall. It was quiet and almost dark save for the occasional murmurings of Tygra and Claudus from inside the nursery room and the quiet footsteps of the soldiers doing their patrols.

Two soldiers rounded the corner and she could see them in the dim light of the torches lining the stonewall. Both soldiers nodded to her in greeting and she did the same before they headed down the hall. Amelia only took a few steps in the opposite direction when she heard her name being uttered in the darkness.

When she turned around, she saw Claudus coming out of the nursery. His tall, wide frame almost made him look menacing in the darkness but the king was only menacing in battle. His cape trailed behind him as he walked over to her. She found herself absentmindedly dusting her skirt off as he approached. "Amelia." The king spoke again. This time, Amelia answered him, looking at him.

"Lord Claudus," Amelia said softly. Claudus stopped within an arms' length to her. Up close she could see how worn the lion looked, but there was a strange warmth in his turquoise eyes. It made her chest constrict with a strange nervousness, but she ignored it as he spoke.

"I want to thank you for what you told my son," Claudus said gently. Despite having guarded his emotions around anyone who wasn't Jaga, the King of Thundera found himself slowly opening up more and more to the female cat. He saw her eyes go wide with fear as he said this and he lifted a hand in reassurance before she could protest. "You had every right as their caretaker to tell Tygra. You did well, actually and I wanted to thank you for that."

Amelia's cheeks flushed at hearing praise coming from her King. After Leona's death, it had become a sort of a rule within the castle walls not to speak about Thundera's beloved Queen – at least not in the presence of Claudus or the princes.

"You are welcome, your majesty. I was just doing what I could to quell Prince Tygra's fear of his mother's death." The Snow Leopard stammered, grabbing at the sides of her skirt, as she did her best not to avoid the king's gaze. "He was asking questions and I felt it wasn't right to leave him in the dark."

"Yes, yes, I know." Claudus chuckled inwardly. He couldn't help wondering if he really was this intimidating to his subjects. With Leona, everything just felt natural. He couldn't remember a time when Leona cowered in his presence. But Leona was naturally courageous and outgoing. Amelia was always a little more… quiet. Even as Leona's closest friend and servant, he felt his heart prickle at the memory of his wife and a strange feeling of guilt bubbled inside of him. Just by comparing Amelia to his beloved mate felt like a betrayal to her.

This uncomfortable silence lasted like an eternity before her voice snapped him back to attention. "Is there anything else, Lord Claudus?" Amelia asked.

He looked at the cat with a surprised expression and he quickly cleared his throat. "No, that will be all, Amelia. Thank you for your services and, and have a good night." The king tripped over his tongue as he excused himself, immediately walking away. He must've looked a fool to her, like some idiotic love-struck teenager. Surely he hadn't been this way with Leona?


	4. Chapter 4: Always

**Chapter 4**

_Every time he closed his eyes, he would see her. Her beautiful sea-green eyes shining with warmth and her smile was full of love, laughter drifting from her lips as she urged their toddler son, Tygra, to stand on his little feet and clumsily walk into his arms. It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining down on them as the wind caressed the flowers in the garden, stirring up their pleasant aroma. Little Tygra was carried by his beloved Queen. Small feet landed on the soft grass below as she stood him up, her hands gripping their adopted son's hands tightly but softly, ensuring that he won't fall too soon. They had been working on Tygra's walking and balance for a few weeks now. After all, the little prince had shown determination in trying to walk without any help whenever Leona and him were playing in the nursery. Even if it meant little Tygra would get into even more mischief while exploring the world, even more, they didn't care. All babies were like that. Even if adults couldn't remember, there was always something inside their hearts that told them they were once toddlers, curious and happy with the world._

_Leona murmured some words of encouragement into the toddler's ear, planting a kiss on his temple. Claudus was on his knees, patiently waiting a few short feet away with his arms outstretched. "Go on, Tygra. Go into daddy's arms." He heard her whisper this into his son's ears. Tygra's golden eyes went wide with happiness; his smile grew as the Queen gently nudged the tiger cub towards his father. Tygra only took a few small steps before he felt her hands slipping out of his small ones. The tiger found himself feeling a bit wobbly as he took a few more steps, him unknowingly using his hands to keep himself balanced. The closer he got to Claudus, the more excited he became. It seemed like a long-distance as he walked._

_One step. Two steps. Three steps. Claudus fought to keep his throat from bubbling with laughter at seeing his son getting closer with small hands reaching for him. It wasn't until the last few steps that Tygra started to lose balance and soon he fell to the ground. The sensation of falling scared the toddler, but it immediately went away as a pair of large hands caught him by the waist. When he saw his son's eyes tearing up, Claudus pulled his son off the ground and held him close to his chest._

_"Now, now, little Prince. You did great. No need to cry." His father's voice calmed him and Tygra snuggled into the warmth of the lion's chest with a soft giggle. Leona smiled at seeing the sight of them, but when Claudus went to address her, to invite her to bask in their son's accomplishment; he saw a sorrowful look on his wife's face. "Beloved?"_

_"I'm sorry, Claudus, my love." Her voice was barely audible as she said this. Tears brimmed her usually kind eyes as she met his gaze._

_Claudus frowned at hearing her sad tone. Confusion wracked at his heart. "Leona, what do you mean?" He asked, forcing himself to smile. "You have nothing to apologize for." He started approaching her when she held up a hand, palm facing him._

_"No, I have lots of to apologize for." The Queen whispered quietly. The tears started to fall, one by one, each one landing on the ground below. "You keep thinking of me and I keep answering your calls in your dreams, here in the Spiritual Planes."_

_"Leona…" Claudus whispered. He couldn't believe what his mate was saying. For an instant, the image of little Tygra disappeared, leaving Claudus free to embrace his beloved Queen. "We're both at fault." He finally came to her side and stopped within reach of her. Taking her hands into his, Claudus brushed his lips against the backs. He could feel sadness that had once made him mad with grief over Leona's death starting to surface, but this time, it was Leona who brushed his tears away._

_The Queen smiled at her husband, holding her hand to his cheek. "My handsome King, you mustn't hold onto your memories of me. You know as well as I that once one is dead, there is no bringing them back."_

_"Yes, I know," Claudus replied grimly. He wanted to pull away from her and be angry but he didn't. He relished in the gentle touches of his wife's hands, still staring into her eyes as he embraced her._

_"There is another who needs you more than I. you must go to her. Show her what lies in your heart just as you have shown me." These were the last words he heard Leona whisper to him as they shared one final kiss._

_"I'll always love you, my beloved Claudus."_

He opened his eye, finding himself in his bedchambers and like always, his beloved Queen wasn't there although he could sense her warm presence in his heart. But this time, sadness was the last emotion he was feeling. There was a strange sense of peace.

The covers slipped down to his waist as the red-maned king sat up. With a deep yawn and a quick stretch of his arms, Claudus rose from the comfort of his bed, mentally pushing through the haze of sleep and walked to the windows. Normally he would have the window shut, so the smell of the Astrid Day Flowers from the late Queen's garden wouldn't seep in, reminding him of her, but something felt different. He gently pulled the curtains apart, allowing shafts of sunlight to peek through glass, blinding him for a few seconds before his eyes adjusted to the morning light.

It was upon opening the curtains and the window that he smelled the fragrance of the Astrid flowers drifting from the gardens. It almost made him smile, and even more, he saw someone in the Queen's garden. It wasn't the usual caretakers of the gardens either. It was…

"Amelia?" Claudus whispered in surprise. Generally no one, but the hired botanists would be allowed in the garden and on occasions, Prince Tygra and Lion-O, but Amelia was in there.

"What are you going to do, Claudus?" Asked a voice behind him.

Claudus nearly jumped at seeing Jaga standing in the doorway. "J-jaga! Great Thundera, what the devil are you doing, sneaking on me like this?" He said in a half-joking manner and half annoyance.

Jaga chuckled behind a closed hand and smiled. "Forgive me, Claudus. I came to wake you for breakfast since your attendants had trouble waking you." The old cleric came up beside Claudus and stared down at Amelia, looking through the various flowers. Little Lion-O was crawling on the ground at her feet while Prince Tygra ran rampant not too far off, obviously searching for something. "Today is the day Tygra visits Queen Leona." Jaga began at seeing Claudius's confused look. "Once a month, Amelia takes the princes into the garden to pick some of the Queen's flowers to put on her grave."

Claudus tensed at hearing this. Normally he would have gotten angry over anyone entering the garden without his permission but Jaga's calm steel gaze stared at him.

"Are you going to punish Amelia? Or will you join her?" Jaga asked this before taking his leave.

Claudus looked back at his sons and their nursemaid, watching them as they continued their walk to Leona's grave. What was he going to do?


	5. Chapter 5: Silence

Hina: Hey, everyone. I know it's been a little over two weeks since I did anything with this story. And well, I have posted a few other one-shots, though they're just reposts. But anywho, I wanna thank everyone for all their support and to those who reviewed what I reposted. Thank you. With that said, I hope everyone's having a great Christmas vacation (Can't believe Christmas is next week!) and I hope you enjoy this update.

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Chapter Five: Silence

Their walk up the somewhat steep incline led them to a grave marker at the top of the hill. A cool breeze blew, ruffling the fur on her body. Amelia didn't mind. She was used to being active. She had to be active if she were to keep up with her two charges. Tygra bounded ahead of her, a few petals falling from the flowers the young prince held in his hands as he ran ahead.

"Prince Tygra, slow down." Amelia chided but her words didn't stop the young prince. Though his pace lessened a little. Baby Lion-O cooed playfully from his sling as he noticed a nearby butterfly fluttering about. Amelia just smiled at hearing her youngest charge's happy coo before readjusting the cloth strap around her chest.

It was at the top of the hill that they finally stopped and Amelia, with some help from her remaining apprentice (the other having been sent off to complete her training elsewhere in Thundera) undoing the strap of the sling that kept baby Lion-O in place.

Once he was free of his sling and was placed on the ground among the soft grass and flowers, Lion-O let out a squeal of excitement. The young prince's eyes went even wider at seeing a butterfly flying overhead and he immediately crawled after it. Amelia's apprentice quickly went after the lion cub while Amelia followed after Tygra to the tombstone that marked the grave of the late Queen Leona.

She was thankful for how quick her young apprentice was.

She'll make a fine nursemaid yet. The snow leopard thought with a soft smile before focusing her attention on Tygra.

The young tiger prince now stood before his adopted mother's grave. His amber eyes staring at the tombstone. He couldn't quite read all the words of the Cats language but he recognized the name of late Queen easily enough.

As she stood there, gauging his reaction to seeing the Queen's tombstone, Amelia couldn't help the sadness seeping into her heart. She saw tears threatening to come out of the corners of the prince's eyes as he clenched his hands into fists, trying to keep his composure.

It was almost a year ago that Queen Leona died, giving her life up so that Lion-O may live. Of course, the kindhearted and beloved Queen could have lived had she let the healers allowed Lion-O to die instead, but anyone who knew Leona knew that she wouldn't have allowed that. Although it had saddened the Queen to not be able to refer Tygra as her Darling Prince or any of the other her nicknames for him, she was equally happy to be giving her adopted son a little brother to grow up with. She wanted for her youngest son to be born into the world, she willed it even.

It was clear from the pain on the prince's face that Leona's death affected him quite deeply. Amelia could only guess how her two charges would act towards each other as they grow up.

Tygra felt his body twitch in surprise as Amelia's arms went around him, her drawing him into her warm body. No words needed to be spoken between them. Although she wanted to say something to comfort her charge, she knew that sometimes children just needed a gentle touch, that much like adults, children too needed time to process what they were feeling before they were ready to talk.

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**Hina: **I promise that the future chapters will be longer than the 500-600 words I did here. I'm still in the process of getting back into writing. (I really do miss the days where I could crank out 7000 words in like 2 or 3 days lol). Anyways thanks for reading! And again sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out.


	6. Chapter 6: Here Comes a Thought

**Hina:** Yeah, I know it's been awhile. I'm sorry. I've been through quite a lot. To make a long story short, I moved to a new a state back in january of 2019 and during the past year and a half, it was a bit rough adjusting to my new living situation (still adjusting to it actually) and then a month or two ago, me and my two cousins got two pups but they ended up being sick with Parvo (which is basically some kind of disease or virus that destroys a dog's digestive system and whatnot-and there's a version of it that humans can contract too but dogs can't give humans parvo and vice versa). So yeah that was a hard time but I finally sat down and finished this chapter that I've had lingering around on my google docs for a few months. Sorry for the late update and like always I don't own ThunderCats or any related canon characters. I only own any original characters who aren't in ThunderCats to begin with and the idea behind this story. ThunderCats belongs to Tobin Wolf and Warner Bros. I hope you enjoy the this update!

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Chapter Six

Here Comes a Thought

He sat there at the desk, his turquoise eyes looking over the military documents that littered his desk. It wasn't long ago that those damned lizards tried to overthrow Thundera. It was a rebellion of sorts. And two soldiers had saved his life. While it was oftentimes annoying to be indebted to someone, Claudus could see a lot of honor and ambition in the two Cats.

Panthro and Grune were highly recommended by their commanding officer to be given the ranks of lieutenant or even to be knighted. Of course, Claudius isn't about to just knight them, let alone anyone else at random. Sure one act of saving the king's life or even the princes' lives is more than enough to earn the attention of the king and even a medal of honor, but anyone who earns those special medals must keep on proving themselves worthy of the medal. But when General Artemis wrote letters of recommendation for the two, Claudius had no choice but to get to know Grune and Panthro and test them himself.

Captain Artemis's writing was neat and tidy, as was expected of a Cat of high status. Artemis has served the royal family of Thundera since Claudius was a prince himself and while Artemis was as old as Jaga, he was still active in his duties as the captain of the royal guard, and he was one of Claudus's closest friends. But more importantly, Artemis was Amelia's father, and it was him who suggested that Amelia become Leona's lady in waiting and personal attendant when Leona first became engaged to Claudus. And Amelia shared her father's loyalty and ability to remain calm in stressful situations (Amelia had to be calm when dealing with the rambunctious Tygra). Not only did Amelia share her father's loyalty and calm demeanor but she also shared the same white-grey fur with spots and the same way of speaking softly. Amelia's red eyes were inherited from her mother apparently.

Claudius sighed softly, rereading the files on Panthro and Grune, consequently, the king had dug out the files on Amelia as well. He didn't quite know why, but he suddenly wanted to know everything about his sons' nursemaid. Sure, he knew her for years but Amelia only spoke to Leona (only because she was Leona's close friend and attendant). Just why didn't he bother getting to know the nursemaid sooner?

Captain Artemis always talked highly of his daughter (and it wasn't in the usual pompous way that most of the Cat Nobles would talk when bragging about their kids' accomplishments). It was just a parent showing how much he loved his child.

Another sigh later, and the royal lion just signed the forms for Artemis's requests in making Grune and Panthro a member of the King's own private royal guard. He wasn't going to turn these forms in yet, not until he had the chance to speak with the two warriors themselves.

Just as he finished signing the request forms and placing his personal seal on them, Claudus heard a soft knock on the door. He looked up in time to see Amelia poking her head. "A-amelia." The king said in soft surprise.

"I do apologize, Lord Claudus, but Prince Tygra wanted to see you about something." Amelia said this with a bow, "That is if you aren't busy, sire."

Claudius glanced down at the papers on his desk, the requests had been approved but they have yet to be sent away to be processed (blast this paperwork!). He then cleared his throat, looking back at Amelia. "Yes, of course, I'm not busy at-at this moment." He hoped he didn't sound awkward (what was he? A teenager again?).

His heart fluttered in his chest at seeing a soft smile gracing Amelia's face, but before the smile could be ingrained into his memory, the door opened more and he saw his adopted son coming in with a gleeful smile on his face and a tray with a plate of what looked like messily decorated cookies and two cups full of tea. It was quite obvious that Amelia had helped Tygra bake the cookies and make the tea, but Tygra decorated the cookies himself. From the smile on Tygra's face, his adopted son was quite pleased with himself.

"And what do we have here?" Claudius asked as Tygra set the tray of snacks and tea on his desk in front him..

Amelia chuckled behind her hand as she closed the door behind her and Tygra. "Prince Tygra wanted to do something for you so I came up with the idea of him baking something."

Excitement bubbled in the young prince's chest as his adoptive father picked up one of the sugar cookies.

"Is that so? And you made this all by yourself, Tygra?" There was amusement in Claudius's voice as he saw his adopted son's smile grow even bigger.

Tygra puffed out his chest, keeping his big smile. "Amelia helped me make them! But I decorated the cookies myself and I made the tea!"

Claudius chuckled softly at hearing his son's proclamation. it was clear that Amelia helped him with the tea as well (after all young cubs shouldn't be messing with fires or anything hot and dangerous). But he just returned his son's smile and ruffled the tiger's mane. "Good job, Prince Tygra. You're becoming a really good baker."

Tygra giggled again, but within a split second, determination and hope filled the tiger's eyes. "Try one, dad!" the tiger prince said happily.

"Alright, alright, if you insist." Claudus teased. He took the offered cookie from Tygra and bit into it (albeit just a bit hesitant). To the king's surprise, the sugar cookie was quite delicious (though Tygra went a bit overboard with decorating the cookies).

"Well?" His son's voice greeted his ears and Claudus smiled warmly at his son, feeling the same enthusiasm that the prince had. He couldn't help returning the smile and nodding, swallowing the bite. The sugary sweetness of the sugar, mixed with a small hint of honey and cinnamon seemed to melt on the taste buds of his tongue as he took another bite. It was a bit sweet for his liking but it was really good.

"This is really good. And you made this yourself?" Claudus asked his son, knowing he had help, but seeing Tygra puff out his chest and smile with pride at his encouragement made the royal proud of his adopted son. There was no shame in a member of the royal family learning a mundane task as cooking or even tending to one of the feline mounts in the stable. At least this is what Claudius's own father had told him when he was a teen prince.

"Uh-huh! I put in all the ingredients and-!" Tygra immediately stopped in his statement at seeing Amelia chuckling behind her hand and he immediately looked away in embarrassment;. "Amelia helped with the fire…" The young prince mumbled.

"All I did was put the batter into the oven, young Prince. You did everything else." Amelia said with a chuckle but Prince Tygra felt his cheeks burn at the praise.

"But you taught me how to do everything." He said softly. Tygra jumped at feeling his father's hand ruffling his mane and patting his head once more.

"You should be very proud of yourself, son. Just remember there is nothing wrong with asking for help, that is how we learn new skills, even if these skills seem useless or silly." Claudus said softly. Some might think this was Claudus scolding the tiger but it was his way of giving his son encouragement,. Everyone who knew Claudius personally knew this. Although he never showed it, Claudus was always proud of his sons.

Tygra's face brightened and he immediately hugged the king and then hugged Amelia before quickly running out of his father's study. It was clear that he didn't want anyone to see how happy he was (one could almost blame Claudus for guarding his own emotions all the time and Tygra was clearly trying to emulate that same manner).

Another chuckle left Claudius's lips as he watched his son go.

"That's one way to make him happy." Amelia teased and the two laughed a bit. For a few minutes, it felt like there was nothing between them, nothing was keeping them from smiling and talking with each other. Both Claudus and Amelia, for just a few moments, weren't reminded of their status, but that small moment of joy faded just as quickly when Amelia suddenly stopped laughing. The nursemaid quickly looked away, a small frown on her lips. "I'm sorry, your majesty."

Her words brought confusion and Claudus blinked, watching as Amelia started to excuse herself and make her way to the door. The lion king immediately rose to his feet, her name slipping from his lips as he spoke.

"Amelia, wait!"

That simple command made the female snow leopard stop in her tracks. She kept her gaze ahead of her. She didn't know why she was suddenly acting this way. Why she was acting so… ashamed. Surely it was fine to laugh alongside the king, right? Her sudden silent and somewhat cold action made Claudius silently question what was between them as well.

"Amelia," Claudius started as he now spoke softly, walking around his desk to reach her. "Is there something wrong?" He asked.

Her heart jumped but Amelia didn't allow herself to react outwardly. She just clenched her hands at her sides, as she thought of what to say. "No, your majesty, I just had a momentary lapse judgement." She said softly, "I shouldn't have been so thoughtless as to tease you about the young prince."

She felt the fingers of his hand gently brush against her hand. Her entire body was tense. It was hard to tell what she was thinking and that was just a bit infuriating to Claudius (but then again, some called Claudius the Iron Hearted Lion since he was naturally intimidating to most people and often spoke with a natural air of authority-and loudly at times-so it was natural for some to find it hard to speak with him so naturally as Jaga and the late Leona could).

Thoughts of the late Queen suddenly came rushing back to him and the king pulled back his hand. A moment of heavy silence fell over them before he spoke again. "It wasn't thoughtless, or cruel, Amelia, i believe it was all in good humor." Claudius sighed, "That is how friends act towards each other."

"F-Friends?" Amelia whispered to herself, the words of her king were both comforting yet painful in her heart. It was a good thing, wasn't it? The king considers her a friend. But then…

"Why do i feel such sorrow when i hear you say that we're friends?" She said aloud without realizing it, "When part of me wants us to be more than that?"

"You… want us to be more than friends?" Claudius's own heart jumped hard in his ribcage and he couldn't help the warmth blooming in his own heart.

It only took a second or two for Amelia to realize what she had just said and the flood of warmth that came from embarrassment and having realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud washed over her. She quickly turned around and muttered a clumsily rushed apology, "I-I'm sorry, your Majesty! Forget what I just said! I was just speaking without thinking!"

Claudius quietly cleared his throat, suppressing the urge to chuckle. It was strange to see this new side of Amelia. Sure, he's seen her nervous before, but this was somewhat of a melancholic type of fluster, but still, he found it… endearing.

"Amelia." Claudius said again and Amelia suddenly stopped, coming to attention at hearing his deep rumble of a voice.

"Yes, milord?" she responded.

His turquoise eyes caught her crimson gaze. Without thinking, Claudius reached for her again, this time, catching Amelia by her elbows. When the nursemaid didn't resist his touch or brush his hands away, he gently drew her a step closer.

"Milord?" Amelia breathed, her heart starting to pound hard in her chest.

"What is it that you want to happen between us?" Claudius asked, somehow he felt some sort of courage to ask this. He didn't know why. But he did and he wasn't going to waste this moment.

"Sire, I, I honestly don't know." Amelia said softly. There was a hint of sorrow in her tone as she murmured this, unable to tear her gaze from his. "It would feel shameful to the Queen's memory if I asked for there to be romance - if I give you my heart, but it would hurt just as much if we remain as friends."

"This is truly a predicament we find ourselves in." Claudius whispered.

Amelia nodded. Her entire body started to tremble a bit, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. Yet, she didn't break free of his hold, instead, Amelia just looked away, bringing her hands to her chest.

Claudius gently slid his hand up to her shoulders, letting them rest there as he moved closer. "Amelia." He whispered. "I believe Leona would want both of us to be happy."

"She would want everyone to be happy and I think I would be happiest if you tell me what you want because I know what I want, but what do _you_ want?"

Amelia finally looked up into Claudius's eyes, his words have calmed her some. There was still a little bit of hesitance and apprehension in her facial expression, but at least she was calm now. "Sire, no, Claudius, I'm not sure what it is that I want, but I do know that I want us to be more than friends. I want to..."

"Yes?"

She felt the warmth of Claudius's body as he leaned in. Amelia couldn't help staring into his eyes now, her lips parting slightly with a silent gasp of anticipation. He was so close now. The king was just centimeters away now. The touch of his hands on her shoulders was gentle, but one of the hands went to the side of her neck, lingering just at the corner of her jaw as his thumb gently stroked the fine fur on her cheek. This simple act was calming, soothing. It seemed to coax her into a state of relaxation and before she could answer, his lips were over hers.


End file.
